date last updated : 18th January 2010

This electronic version of the User's Manual for the QST 400 golf trolley with full remote control operation will be updated as necessary from time to time - as dictated by changes in the trolley design and manufacture, or of its operation. In most cases it will refer to the latest version of the QST400

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REMOTE CONTROL GOLF TROLLEY

model QST400

  USER MANUAL

  CONTENTS

PREFACE

Thank you for purchasing the new QST400 model electric golf trolley with full remote control operation. Please read this manual carefully before use.

KXM200 owners. If you have a KXM200 single-motor trolley then some of the following will also be applicable to that model. The frame and the majority of the components are shared however please ignore all references to the remote-control functions.

IMPORTANT

After unpacking please keep the carton and all internal sections in safe storage. In the unlikely possibility that you need to return the whole unit due to a defective component, you will need to repack the unit in the original manner to ensure safe and secure transit.

Check all of the following items are included in the package –

• The main trolley frame.
• Drive wheels
• Front wheel assembly
• Rear wheel assembly
• Battery complete with battery cover
• Battery charger
• Remote Control Transmitter
• Tool kit

If any of the above contents are missing or damaged, please note the serial number of the unit and contact us at 559 561 1234

After unpacking the trolley place the battery on charge whilst you assemble the unit. The battery will be delivered with a charge but should always be placed on charge overnight before using ( a minimum of 22 hours).

Contents of this manual cover assembly from the delivery carton – operating instructions and conditions – maintenance – and troubleshooting. Please note that our design and manufacturing policy is aimed at continuous improvement – this can result in changes without notice to the specifications contained in our websites and in this manual.

Please read through this manual carefully before use – in particular the section on battery cover connections and battery charging

•  the section on battery maintenance

•  the recommendation to retain the original delivery carton and packing materials

We understand that it can be onerous to store large cartons however in the unlikely event that the trolley has to be returned to the service department this original packing will be essential for safe shipping.

This product has been designed with the use of the golfer in mind – nevertheless the golfer purchasers will be the best judge of the level of success that we have achieved. We welcome any positive suggestions for improvement to design that you as the user might have.

ASSEMBLY

1. Install both of the drive wheels. Push the spring-loaded section of the drive wheel (located on the plastic catch mechanism on the outside of this wheel) inwards and then move the wheel inwards to locate the drive wheel to the drive wheel coupling. In this position it should be positioned onto the innermost of the two slots on the axle. The outer slot is a "free-wheel" position. When releasing this spring-loaded section it is securely located if it cannot be pulled outwards.

2. There is a latch positioned underneath the handle - this secures the frame in a locked position during transit. To free this latch you should slide the upper hinge forward until this latch is free and unlocked. The two black nylon frame hinges are spring loaded, so it is a matter of sliding the top section of this hainge away from its lower section - this will free the latch and enable you to raise the frame to its full operating height.

3.    Install the complete front wheel assembly. (If not already installed). This is the only other part that is delivered separately in the carton – this to reduce the size of the delivery carton. Push the wheel housing onto the frame tubing as shown. If necessary rotate the housing to align the screw holes. Insert bolts and washers and nuts – tighten.

4. Install the complete rear-wheel assembly by retracting the spring-loaded détente, and then sliding the assembly tube over the square receiving spigot.

BATTERY INSTALLATION

The battery can be installed from either left or right hand side of the trolley. Using the carrying strap, carefully place a fully charged battery into the battery tray with the connector facing the left side of the trolley.

CHECKS BEFORE OPERATION

• Read the section below on BATTERY MAINTENANCE. This is most important.
• IMPORTANT Put the battery on charge for at least 24-hours before using on the golf course. The battery will probably be delivered to you with some residual charge already, however it is most important that you completely charge the battery before use. For subsequent charges 12-hours should be sufficient - see notes on charging below.

• IMPORTANT Check the connection underneath the battery cover before use. See section below on BATTERY COVER CONNECTIONS. Ensure that the soldered connections are intact (no transit damage) and that the leads are not in danger of being fouled by the mounting of the battery cover to the battery, and most importantly that the screws on the terminals are fully tightened down.
• Check that the plug into the battery is firmly connected.
• Check that the battery securing straps are securely fastened.

BATTEY COVER CONNECTIONS

For shipment the connections inside of the battery cover are only loosely connected. Before using the first time you should check all of the connections inside of this cover.

Check

1     The soldered connections for any transit breaks.

2     That the wires connected to the two battery terminals are not in danger being crimped by the closing down of the cover onto the battery - see images below.

Then firmly tighten down the connections to the terminals

Now charge the battery for at least 24 hours before use

BATTERY CARE – MAINTENANCE - AND SULPHATING PROCEDURES

Replacement batteries are expensive! In order to maximize the life of your battery, please note the following important instructions

CHARGING THE BATTERY

Always start every round with a fully charged battery .

Charge your battery as soon as possible after every round (certainly within 24 hours) even if you have played only a few holes. This will maximize the life of your battery.

LONG TERM BATTERY CARE

Ideally, you should charge your battery for a minimum of 12 hours, even if the red light turns green before this. This will ensure that the maximum charge is put into the battery and will increase battery life.

Battery performance can gradually reduce due to the effects of sulphation - see section below for details - and appears like a type of ‘memory effect'.    Ideally, all golf cart batteries should be "fully discharged" every month or so to prevent this happening. Please note that "fully discharged" is actually a relatively high percentage of its capacity - NOT Zero %. When using the trolley to discharge the battery the controller will automatically cut-out further operation when the battery charge reached this level - this cut-out is designed to prevent over-discharge of the battery. You should never discharge the battery using other means, to below 50% of its capacity - if this is done then it will be virtually imposible to recharge the battery. For example some mechanically minded users might think of using an auto-headlamp, or other load, for this discharge process - this should never be done, as it will definitely cause over-discharge

See notes below desribing the suggested desulphation procedure.

FOUR-STAGE CHARGER

STAGE 1

PULSE CHARGING

Please note that when charging your battery, the charger should be left on for at least 12 hours. The red light indicates one of the two the first phases of charging at up to a maximum of 3 Amps.

The charging rate goes from 0 Amps up to 3 Amps – and then from 3 Amps down to 0 Amps. Pulse charging occurs when the battery has little or no charge remaining, and can help in reducing deposits of lead sulphate on the battery plates. If the residual power capacity in the battery is quite high this phase will be relatively short, which is the reason why you should drain all capacity from your battery at least once a month.

STAGE 2

CONSTANT CURRENT CHARGE – RAPID CHARGE

The LED light stays red during this charging stage.

The charger is designed to allow rapid-charging up to 90% of the battery capacity.

When the rapid-charging phase is completed, the green charging light will come on. When this is reached, the battery can be used but it is not fully charged. The remaining 10% of the charge is put in much more slowly on a trickle-charge - see Stage 3 below

STAGE 3

TRICKLE CHARGE

The LED indicator light will turn to green.

The charger will maintain the battery at over 13 volts.

The battery should now have about 90% of its capacity. If rapid charging were to continue past this stage the battery would overheat and distort, leading to the battery being permanently damaged. This stage-3 trickle-charge is at a much lower current – dropping quickly from 3 Amps down to around 0.4 amps, or lower, and can take several hours to complete – hence our suggestion of 12 hours total charging time

STAGE 4

FLOAT CHARGE

At the end of the stage 3 trickle-charge the charger switches to a very small ‘Float' charge of <0.1 Amps. This very low level maintains the optimum charge and if necessary allows your charger to remain connected to the battery until the next time you use it.

With normal 2-stage chargers, you MUST disconnect the battery after 12 hours otherwise it will overheat. Kolnex supply only 3 stage or 4-stage chargers which include a Float stage, and can be left on-charge for over 12-hours, nevertheless we recommend that you disconnect your battery from the charger after 24-hours.

WINTER BATTERY CHARGING

If you are unlikely to use your battery for a long period, especially in winter. Fully charge your battery, disconnect and store it in a cool, dry place away from frost.

Put the battery back on charge every 4-6 weeks to top it up and store it again.

Charge the battery again just before you play.

If you leave your battery connected to the charger for an extended period, there is the possibility that even the persistent ‘float' current can cause the battery acid to evaporate and reduce the battery life. It is also important to check your golf trolley from time to time: ensure that axles/bearings etc are lubricated and in good condition.

Never allow your battery to freeze. This will permanently damage the battery.

The above procedures are designed to maximize the life of your battery.

SULPHATION

When a golf battery is not charged aftyer use, or used to its full capacity, or becomes over-discharged, sulphation of the battery plates may occur.

This is particularly common where a high-capacity (27/36 hole) battery is used mainly for only 18 holes, but can affect any modern battery. The high capacity battery supplied by Kolnex has a capacity of 33 Amper/hrs.

Basically, sulphation is a chemical change where lead sulphate is deposited on the battery plates and prevents charge getting in or out of the battery.

PREVENTION

Battery performance will gradually reduce due to the effects of sulphation and appears like a type of ‘memory effect'.    Ideally, all golf batteries should be discharged every month or so to prevent this happening.

In order to prevent future problems, fully discharge the battery every 4 to 6 weeks by removing the two drive wheels, and operating the cart in manual mode to let the battery run down.

When the motor has stopped, charge your battery as normal.

CLEARANCE PROCEDURE

If your battery does begin to sulphate - for instance performance gradually declines and the battery no longer manages 18 holes - the sulphation can possibly be removed by the following procedure:

1     Fully charge your battery for at least 12 hours, even if the green light comes on during this time.

2     As soon as possible after charging, put the battery on the trolley and remove the two drive wheels

3     Operate the trolley in manual mode and let it run until the battery is fully discharged – the cut-out in the trolley will operate when the trolley reaches its discharge level – this may take several hours as the trolley has no load on it.

4     As soon as possible, fully recharge the battery and repeat the procedure 3 more times.

The rapid charging/discharging should help to break down any built-up sulphate and restore your battery capacity. This should help to allow the longest possible life for your battery – it is sulphation which ‘kills' batteries prematurely.

The chemical deposition is not a fault with either the battery or the charger, it is simply a result of under-discharge. It is not covered by the Warranty.

SAFETY FIRST

Always charge your battery in a cool, dry place away from any

flammable materials. Charge in a well ventilated area

OPERATION

MANUAL CONTROL

Switching the ON/OFF switch at the handle to the ON position puts the cart into the REMOTE mode. Turning this switch OFF and then ON again within 2-seconds will put the cart into manual mode.

Roll the knurled knob of the combined ON/OFF switch and Speed control forwards to turn on the power to the cart. Turning this knob further will progressively apply more power to the drive wheels and start the forward motion of the cart. Reversing this knob will reduce the speed of the cart.

When this switch is turned ON for the first time the small blue LED light on the handle should illuminate and then remain illuminated to indicate that all electrical systems are operating properly.

When operating in manual control please note that there will be a 2-sceond delay after turning the ON/OFF switch to the ON position and response from the same switch to control the forward speed.

There is a cluster of 5 buttons in the middle of the remote control transmitter.

TRANSMITTER USE

•  There is a very small ON/OFF switch located on the back of the transmitter - next to the battery compartment - see image above. If you wish to conserve battery power you can turn OFF the transmitter after use, at the end of the day.

•  Take time to practice the difference between a single touch of a key and a prolonged push especially with left and right functions.

•  Never store the transmitter in a pocket with metal or sharp objects, or loose change. Never allow the transmitter to get immersed in water.

•  Because of the need for a removable battery cover, the transmitter is not waterproof, so when playing in the rain it is important to store it in a dry place like a pocket, and to protect it during use.

•  The transmitter takes a replaceable battery, you will need to carefully remove the battery compartment cover to replace it.

•  Do not use a rechargeable battery in the handset as these batteries do not give sufficient voltage for this transmitter

BATTERY

The small battery powering this transmitter is a special high Ampere/hr battery - similar to those used in garage door openers. Replacements can be readily purchased for a little over $2 at most good quality hardware stores. The Duracell equivalent battery is the 21/23 - 12 volt - 23 Ampere/hr - MN21/A23

REPLACEMENT

Replacement of transmitter. If the original transmitter is lost or broken it is a simple process to match the code of the controller to that of the new transmitter.

1.     First turn OFF the ON/OFF switch at the handle

2.     Then holding the new transmitter near to the cart depress the STOP button and hold it depressed

3.     The turn ON the ON/OFF switch on the cart handle

4.     Continue to hold the STOP button depressed for about 3 to 5 second.

The controller on the cart should now be synchronized to the new transmitter. It is not practical to have and operate two separate transmitters because you would have to re-synchronize the cart controller to the controller each time of use.

LED LIGHT INDICATIONS

1

When the combined ON/OFF and speed control switch in the handle is turned ON the BLUE LED light at the handle should illuminate as a solid blue and remain on.

If this does not happen then there are three possibilities

•  Blown controller fuse. Fuse is located in a connector inside of the battery cover. A blown fuse will normally indicate a recent condition of excessive load onto the battery – for example too steep a gradient or too heavy a load.

•  A break in one of the soldered connections inside of the battery cover. A break in wiring to the switch connection in the handle or a break in the wiring from the handle down to the main controller

•  A problem with the main controller (the small sealed box underneath the battery tray). Either a faulty IC board, or a short-circuit within the controller.

2

   The handle LED emits short flashes of 1 second duration. This indicates that the trolley is being controlled in MANUAL mode (not by the remote transmitter).

3

The handle LED emits longer flashes of 2 second duration. This indicates that the remaining voltage in the main battery has dropped below 10.5 volts.

4

If when pressing any button on the transmitter its LED light does not appear as a solid strong BLUE but is dimmed, then this indicates a low transmitter battery condition, and it needs to be replaced as soon as possible.

ALIGNMENT ADJUSTMENT

Loosen the axle nuts using two 14mm wrenches. This will allow front wheel movement – left or right – up to 5 degrees. Re-tighten securely.

More than one such adjustment might be necessary to achieve alignment.

Before making any adjustments it should be understood that a golf trolley with a very narrow wheelbase and with an uneven – and sometimes shifting – load will probably never be able to maintain a forward direction and a straight line – mainly because even a small directional bias at the start quickly magnifies to a much larger directional deviation. Indeed the whole point of having a remote operation cart is to be able to ignore the exact position of the cart – as long as it is within the fairway and clear of other golfers and water hazards. The user has the ability to bring his cart and clubs over to him when he gets up to his ball.

FREE-WHEEL MODE

In the event of a complete power failure of the golf trolley on the golf-course it is a simple matter to put the cart into a free-wheel mode. Simply disengage the drive wheel from the drive-axle by depressing the button on the outside of the wheel. Then slide the wheel outwards a short way to the second slot on the axle.

USE & MAINTENANCE

TROLLEY

•  Your trolley has been made as robust as is possible, whilst at the same time making it as light-weight as possible, with the use of aluminum and plastic and nylon components. It is nevertheless subject to damage if roughly treated. Always avoid any unnecessary jarring to the frame and the controller - for example do not drive it over curbs, or into trees. Clean the whole cart as convenient. Remove any caked mud and grass cuttings.

•  Do NOT lift up the trolley by the handle when loaded with battery and clubs - similarly do not press downwards on the handle with undue force. No electric golf trolleys are designed to be lifted upwards by the handle. With the battery installed, and a full set of clubs in the bag, all of this weight plus the trolley frame and motors - probably about 100 lb - is placed onto the top hinge mechanism if lifted by the handle.

•  Store it indoors in dry conditions

•  Always remove the battery from the cart as soon as possible.

BATTERIES

•  Regularly check to see if the battery is damaged

•  Keep the battery surface clean, and check underneath the battery cover to make sure that no dirt or water has accumulated inside of it.

•  Check the battery connections – underneath the plastic battery-cover– for any signs of corrosion or bad connection.

•  Check that the wires from the battery cover are firmly fixed to the terminal posts.

•  After use always place the battery on charge – in warm dry conditions.

•  Leave the battery on charge until it is to be used again. Always allow sufficient charging time to completely charge the battery – overnight or 6 to 8-hours should be sufficient.

•  If the battery is to be stored – for instance over winter – and not used it can either be left connected to the charger, or disconnected. If disconnected for storage always recharge the battery completely at intervals – at least once every two months. Allowing the charge of the battery to drop to a completely exhausted state can shorten the life of the battery.

•  Do not charge the battery with a different charger that that supplied with the trolley.

•  If stored place the battery on a wooden shelf – not on a concrete floor. Keep away from fire – flames – heaters – and do not allow it to be in a temperature of over 45 deg C (113 deg F)

CHARGER

•  Do not attempt to open the case of the charger

•  Only use the charger to charge the battery of this golf trolley

•  Operate only indoors – in clean dry conditions

•  Immediately remove from the mains electrical supply in the event of the charger overheating (over 70 deg C)

TRANSMITTER

•  Avoid using excessive force when pressing the function keys on the transmitter

•  Replace the battery immediately a low battery condition is evidenced – either by the LED or by reduced control distance.

•  Because of the battery cover this transmitter is not waterproof – so keep dry when operating in rainy conditions – either in a pocket or under a jacket.

1    Blown controller fuse. Fuse is located in a connector inside of the battery cover. A blown fuse will normally indicate a recent condition of excessive load onto the battery – for example too steep a gradient or too heavy a load.

2    A break in wiring to the switch connection in the handle or a break in the wiring from the handle down to the main controller

3    A problem with the main controller (the small sealed box underneath the battery tray). Either a faulty IC board, or a short-circuit within the controller.

1. First carefully check the connection ends of all of the wires inside of the battery cover. These are soldered connections. If any one of these is faulty then it would need to be reattached properly, or the battery cover be replaced.

2. Then please check the battery. It is highly unlikely that anything is wrong with it, but it easily and quickly be checked at any auto-repair center.

Always check for correct connection of the plugs into and out of the charger.

3. Lastly a faulty charger. Easiest check here would be to charge the battery overnight with any 12 volt auto trickle-charger. If this works then the charger is faulty and needs to be replaced

The main ON/OFF switch has not been turned ON

Battery in transmitter - check - replace

Faulty transmitter

Possible break or bad connection of a wire into, or at, one of the plug connections between the motor and the controller. Wiggling these connections might make a temporary connection and expose such a disconnect. Checking and cleaning the plug connectors might provide a permanent solution

Possible burnt-out motor - check motor connection wires for signs of burnt or melted wires

Could be caused by the catch mechanism on the wheel being too far away from the drive-slot in the axle - either by incorrect manufacturing tolerances or by wear. Often the simplest solution is the addition of a washer (a little over 1/16th inch thick) to each of the mechanism fixing bolts.

Click here to see separate page for details of this addition

Possible motor problem - see above

Possible problem with the controller